Contest Safety

Why don't people in SRA and SSA get the message about contest safety?
A unnecessary loss of life because the FINISH GATE was used and not a
FINISH CYLINDER.

Charlie Spratt and the top racing pilots want the finish gate at
contests because it is so exciting! All the near misses in the pull
ups and congestion in the pattern along with rolling finishes with
landings opposite to the normal landing pattern!

Well contest organizers be ware, when the CD decides to use a start
cylinder procedure or change the task completely in the air or use the
finish gate, he makes you respondsible for the consequences! Last year
the NSF fought against the SSA attempt to force us into using a CD we
didn't agree with and lost. We are relieved that we are no longer put
in the position of being respondsible for the dictates of a CD we
believe places us in jeprody.

For those of you that like the thrill of the close calls in
competition, may luck be with you and may you all survive and not cause
the injury or loss of anothers life!

I agree.

What has surprised me most is that an announcement was made at a fairly
recent contest ( Sports Nats Lubbock 2002) that the SSA had directed him
(The CD) to use a FINISH CYLINDER in the interest of safety. I agreed.
However, since that contest it seems the SSA's support of that policy seems
to have floated away with the wind and the SSA no longer is requesting the
CD to use a FINISH CYLINDER . The geezer glide is a fine example of how
dangerous a Finish Gate can be. I have been on the ground unrigging my
glider with guys wizzing over the field from all directions. Also, that
contest is generally flown with short tasks and a lot of gliders finishing
within a few minutes. This years results two destoyed gliders and a miracle
no one was killed.

Frankly, I will probably not compete in a contest that uses a Finish Gate.
They are just plain dangerous.

Bob, we miss you and JoAnn. Many of us appreciate your dedication to the
sport of soaring

Bob Fidler
F1

"birddog bob" wrote in message
ps.com...
Why don't people in SRA and SSA get the message about contest safety?
A unnecessary loss of life because the FINISH GATE was used and not a
FINISH CYLINDER.

Charlie Spratt and the top racing pilots want the finish gate at
contests because it is so exciting! All the near misses in the pull
ups and congestion in the pattern along with rolling finishes with
landings opposite to the normal landing pattern!

Well contest organizers be ware, when the CD decides to use a start
cylinder procedure or change the task completely in the air or use the
finish gate, he makes you respondsible for the consequences! Last year
the NSF fought against the SSA attempt to force us into using a CD we
didn't agree with and lost. We are relieved that we are no longer put
in the position of being respondsible for the dictates of a CD we
believe places us in jeprody.

For those of you that like the thrill of the close calls in
competition, may luck be with you and may you all survive and not cause
the injury or loss of anothers life!

A.) If people are looking for excitement of this type...go
to a demolition derby.

B.) Those pilots who feel this is their privilege
to do...are hurting the rest of the sport when avoidable
accidents occur. The entire sport.

C.) What is the point of this anyway? Is it some
sort of compensation behaviour?

As P.I.C. you are in charge of safety.

So fly safe and save a life.

Came back from a competition in France where we did line finishes at runway
entry only. Never experienced or saw a critical situation. Lots of fun.

--
Bert Willing

ASW20 "TW"


"Stewart Kissel" a écrit dans le
message de news: ...
A.) If people are looking for excitement of this type...go
to a demolition derby.

B.) Those pilots who feel this is their privilege
to do...are hurting the rest of the sport when avoidable
accidents occur. The entire sport.

C.) What is the point of this anyway? Is it some
sort of compensation behaviour?

What do you mean by a finish cylinder ? A remote finish point ?

We used a finish cylinder in a competition this summer, but the cylinder was
in the middle of our airfield and the finishes where "normal" low high
energy finishes.

If you use a remote finish cylinder, maybe you will then get low height low
energy finishes to the airfield as pilots calculate their final glides to
the remote point. Any experiences ?

Regards, Jyrki
Finland

A Cylinder of 2000 meters from the middle of the airfield in effect a finish
line radius.

We were also instructed that going below 500 ft may bring a penalty from the
comp officials not that the rules covers it in detail.

33. Finish procedure

33.1 A glider having entered the finish zone must land without delay in a
safe manner. Once on the

ground, taxiing must be in the landing direction unless otherwise advised by
the Contest Director

and/or Safety Officer.

33.2 A glider will be deemed to have finished if it successfully completes
the course, and enters the finish

zone. A glider which lands off the airfield after having entered the finish
zone will be scored as a

finisher. A finishing pilot may not elect to declare an outlanding.

33.3 A pilot is permitted one finish per day.

NEW SOUTH WALES GLIDING ASSOCATION

State Championships Competition Rules

Version Sept 2005 Page 13

33.4 The Organisers must not set a minimum finishing height.

33.5 The Organisers may issue guidelines and recommendations as to the
behaviour of pilots within the

finish zone, including preferred circuit procedure and landing direction.
Pilots will not be penalised for

failing to follow these, unless their behaviour is unsafe.

33.6 A pilot may choose to land straight ahead after finishing but must do
so in a safe manner.

33.7 At least one and preferably two Safety Observers will observe gliders
finishing. The observer(s) will be

the Safety Officer and/or delegate(s).

33.8 The Observer(s) will make a subjective decision as to the question of
safety within the finish zone. The

Observer(s) may issue a warning or a technical penalty, or may refer more
serious matters to the

Penalties Committee.

33.9 The minimum penalty for a breach of safety at the finish will be 20
points. Where the penalty is less

than 100 points it will be considered a technical penalty.


http://www.gfa.org.au/Docs/sport/nswrules.pdf




"jth" wrote in message
...
What do you mean by a finish cylinder ? A remote finish point ?

We used a finish cylinder in a competition this summer, but the cylinder
was in the middle of our airfield and the finishes where "normal" low high
energy finishes.

If you use a remote finish cylinder, maybe you will then get low height
low energy finishes to the airfield as pilots calculate their final glides
to the remote point. Any experiences ?

Regards, Jyrki
Finland

Mal Wrote:
A Cylinder of 2000 meters from the middle of the airfield in effect a
finish line radius.

We were also instructed that going below 500 ft may bring a penalty from
the comp officials not that the rules covers it in detail.

It is not covered in detail to allow different procedures at different
locations. The 500ft penalty you refer to would be imposed by the contest
organisers at a particular comp. At some sites (such as Temora) they are
dead against it. At other sites, you are encouraged to do it, as long as it
is done safely.

Nick.

By the way, these are australian rules we are discussing.

Nick


"Nick Gilbert" wrote in message
...
Mal Wrote:
A Cylinder of 2000 meters from the middle of the airfield in effect a
finish line radius.

We were also instructed that going below 500 ft may bring a penalty from
the comp officials not that the rules covers it in detail.

It is not covered in detail to allow different procedures at different
locations. The 500ft penalty you refer to would be imposed by the contest
organisers at a particular comp. At some sites (such as Temora) they are
dead against it. At other sites, you are encouraged to do it, as long as
it is done safely.

Nick.

I am alive against it Nick in my youth I have partaken.

Either way I can still win without a beat up.

Besides who wants to trash a $180000.00 AUD worth of glider your dad would
not be happy or Bernard.

Let alone set a bad example to pilots who may try a beat up.

http://www.gfa.org.au/Docs/sport/ Plenty of reading for a cold winters day
such as today.

CASA says the following.
157 Low flying

(1) The pilot in command of an aircraft must not fly the aircraft over:

(a) any city, town or populous area, at a height lower than 1000 feet;

or

(b) any other area at a height lower than 500 feet.

Penalty: 50 penalty units.

(2) An offence against subregulation (1) is an offence of strict liability.

Note For strict liability, see section 6.1 of the Criminal Code.

(3) A height specified in subregulation (1) is the height above the highest

point of the terrain, and any object on it, within a radius of:

Civil Aviation Regulations 1988 327

Amended CAR - 2nd Ed Office of Legal Counsel

August 2003 Civil Aviation Safety Authority

(a) in the case of an aircraft other than a helicopter-600 metres; or

(b) in the case of a helicopter-300 metres;

from a point on the terrain vertically below the aircraft .

(3A) Paragraph 1 (a) does not apply in respect of a helicopter flying at a

designated altitude within an access lane details of which have been

published in the AIP or NOTAMS for use by helicopters arriving at or

departing from a specified place.

(4) Subregulation (1) does not apply if:

(a) through stress of weather or any other unavoidable cause it is

essential that a lower height be maintained; or

(b) the aircraft is engaged in private operations or aerial work

operations, being operations that require low flying, and the

owner or operator of the aircraft has received from CASA either a

general permit for all flights or a specific permit for the particular

flight to be made at a lower height while engaged in such

operations; or

(c) the pilot of the aircraft is engaged in flying training and flies over

a part of a flying training area in respect of which low flying is

authorised by CASA under subregulation 141 (1); or

(d) the pilot of the aircraft is engaged in a baulked approach

procedure, or the practice of such procedure under the

supervision of a flight instructor or a check pilot; or

(e) the aircraft is flying in the course of actually taking-off or landing

at an aerodrome; or

(f) the pilot of the aircraft is engaged in:

(i) a search; or

(ii) a rescue; or

(iii) dropping supplies;

in a search and rescue operation; or

(g) the aircraft is a helicopter:

(i) operated by, or for the purposes of, the Australian Federal

Police or the police force of a State or Territory; and

(ii) engaged in law enforcement operations; or

(h) the pilot of the aircraft is engaged in an operation which requires

the dropping of packages or other articles or substances in

accordance with directions issued by CASA.